Pink Floyd Biography

Pink Floyd was an English rock band, intensely acclaimed for their complex, psychedelic sound and their profound lyrics. The band managed to stand out due to constantly experimenting and focusing on the feelings music can summon. Even today, after inspiring many artists, Pink Floyd cannot be compared. Over the course of 30 years, they released a total of 14 albums which can be separated into a few periods. Each period has its own particularities. However, almost all famous songs come from their activity in the 70s, with Roger Waters as their lead. Consequently, The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall became two of the highest-selling albums ever. The band made it into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame.

The Syd Barrett Years

1964 – 1968

Pink Floyd released their debut album with Syd Barrett on vocals. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was actually well received by the public. It was a strange mix of melancholic and whimsical. Syd was a troubled genius and, ultimately, too much to handle for the order members. However, they acknowledged him as a milestone in psychedelic music. Pink Floyd’s first two singles, Arnold Lane and See Emily Play carry his signature. Both songs reached the top of the UK charts.

Post-Barrett / Pre-Dark Side

1969 – 1970

The transition period of Pink Floyd’s lengthy career was marked by the adding of a new member, guitarist David Gilmour in 1967. For a couple of years, a now idiosyncratic Syd continued to compose songs for the band but he tried to sabotage them with Have You Got It Yet?, a song impossible to follow and learn. After Syd’s expected retreat, Pink Floyd released a second studio album, A Saucerful of Secrets. The album came with a darker sound and featured Waters’ Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun, a complex piece they frequently played during the follow period. 

The Dark Side Era

1971 -1976

Pink Floyd was on the top of the world during the 70s. It all started with the progressive rock album Meddle, born as an experiment. The lead single Echoes is one of the band’s most beloved by fans. 1973 came with the release of Money, their first international hit – the “Zenith which the Floyd have been striving for”, said NME. Moreover, they releasedThe Dark Side of the Moon and it marked the highest peak of their musical existence. The title was a subtle suggestion to insanity. Each side had a central theme: first depicted stages of human life, while the second battled with social issues.The Dark Side of the Moon has known instant and overwhelming praise. Though the artwork represented an absence of unity, it was their most coordinated album yet. The iconic triangle became Pink Floyd’s timeless emblem.

The next huge thing for the band’s journey was their ninth album, Wish You Were Here, released in 1974. Both the name of the album and the lead composition – Shine On You Crazy Diamond –  have been inspired by the previous member, Syd. The album was an immense commercial success. Additionally, it was featured on Rolling Stone‘s lists of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and the 50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time. The single Welcome to the Machine tells the story of a struggling artist trying to maintain both his identity and his integrity, while Have a Cigar swings close, mocking the shady nature of music industry.

Animals & The Wall

1977- 1985

In 1977, Pink Floyd released a concept album, Animals, loosely based on George Orwell’s political fable, Animal Farm. The album created the image of a socially and politically unstable London and each track told the story of a different economic class.  The album received generally positive reviews. It reached number 2 on the UK Albums Chart and number 3 on the US Billboard 200. It generated some internal controversy, as Waters took almost all credit for it. He was becoming more and more full of himself and, during a concert, he spat at the public.

The psychedelic band’s eleventh and last relevant album, The Wall, is one of the most famous concept albums of all time. It analyzes fear and isolation and includes huge hits like Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 and Comfortably Numb. It was later adapted intro a live-action/animated musical drama film about a loner named Pink who, after many struggles, builds a wall to protect himself from any emotional situations around him.  Actually, it’s the plot that the album revolves around as well. Each song crafts an episode from Pink’s tragic life. The album sold over 11 million copies and became the third-highest certified album in the US. Therefore, it joined Wish You Were Here on Rolling Stone‘s The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Photo Source: Discogs